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from both the education and the environment sectors.
This event was an encouraging sign of integration with
other sectors, as well as of ways to cooperate and make
sustainable development a reality. The ministers consid-
ered the achievements, lessons learned, challenges and
the way ahead. They adopted a joint statement on ESD,
providing commitment to further accomplishment of
the strategy throughout its implementation phases and
beyond 2015.
Overall, the conclusion is that phase I of the imple-
mentation of the ESD strategy has been successfully
implemented. The close and effective joint work
between UNECE and UNESCO, especially in the area
of monitoring progress, has been highly appreciated by
member States.
The UNECE region has a good base for implementing
ESD. Most countries in the UNECE region have educa-
tion systems with skilled educators, provide access to
basic education, grant equal rights to education for all,
and have achieved high levels of literacy and scientific
knowledge. But many challenges still need to be met
to implement ESD effectively. A key challenge is to
make the current education systems flexible enough
to support the interdisciplinary nature of ESD. Civil
society needs to be more involved and institutional and
material resources need to be mobilized. Other chal-
lenges are the absence of an agreed definition for ESD,
confusion about understanding the difference between
environmental education and ESD, institutional, legis-
lative and policy frameworks requiring adaptation to
the needs of ESD, and the lack of ESD teaching tools,
competences and research.
The first regional progress report on ESD
4
concluded
that most countries were committed to establishing
the policies and institutional and administrative struc-
tures. In particular, the countries of eastern Europe,
Caucasus and central Asia had made evident progress.
The countries of south-eastern Europe face a number
of challenges, as many were still taking the prerequi-
site measures to support ESD. Other countries had
progressed significantly. The report also showed that a
decentralized governing structure was not an obstacle,
and that countries with a federal structure had made
good progress.
The report comprises detailed findings and highlights
the key role of educators. Major challenges include: giving
special attention to those in nursery or primary school
today, who will become tomorrow’s decision makers;
building a stronger partnership between authorities and
stakeholders; developing competences in ESD; building
the capacity of decision makers and other stakeholders; a
more integrative conceptualization of sustainable devel-
opment to allow for socio-economic perspectives in ESD;
development of adequate ESD materials for all levels;
enhancing the use of indigenous and other traditional
and local knowledge; and making sustainability attractive
not only to certain groups, but to society as a whole. In
a global context, the problems posed by climate change
are a leading example of where ESD can be applied to
tation. It is comprised of representatives from the education and
environment sectors, as well as key ESD stakeholders participating
as observers. Participating countries recognize the importance of
learning from each other.
A number of activities have been carried out since 2005. One
important achievement is the development of a reporting mecha-
nism, including a set of indicators, as an innovative tool to support
the monitoring and the assessment of progress in implementing
the strategy. The first pilot reporting exercise was carried out on a
voluntary basis, and 36 out of 55 participating member States have
submitted their National Implementation Reports. On the basis of
these reports, a first review on progress in ESD in the UNECE region
was carried out in 2007. The second mandatory reporting exercise
is currently being carried out, and a third one will follow in 2015.
In addition, a guidance for reporting was developed to facilitate
monitoring and assessment. These tools and materials have been
compiled in a publication, which can be received upon request from
the UNECE secretariat.
1
Another important achievement is a collection of good practices
in ESD in the UNECE region.
2
This joint UNECE and UNESCO
endeavour resulted in the first publication of a wide range of
good practices to promote ESD in formal, non-formal and infor-
mal education. Also, a collection of good practices – addressing
sustainable consumption, production and transportation through
ESD
3
– served as a practical contribution to the fourth UNECE
Regional Implementation Forum for Sustainable Development in
December 2009. These offer a wealth of experience and could be a
key tool in promoting ESD in the region and worldwide during the
next phase of the strategy’s implementation.
The culminating event in the implementation of phase I of the
strategy was a joint high-level segment on ESD held during the Sixth
“Environment for Europe” Ministerial Conference, in Belgrade in
2007. This event was attended by ministers and high-level officials
Education is essential for a sustainable future
Image: UNECE